Uzbekistan's first toll road project between Urgench and Khiva has begun in Khorezm province, the Uzbekistan 24 TV channel said in a story.
Reportedly, nearly 2 million foreign tourists visited Khorezm province in 2025. Along with the development of tourism and industry, traffic on the existing Urgench-Khiva highway has increased, leading to frequent congestion.
The new 35-kilometer highway will be an alternative to the existing 34-kilometer road (Khiva Highway D215). It will be a four-lane road with an asphalt concrete surface and a daily capacity of over 20,000 vehicles. Travel time is expected to be reduced from 60 minutes to 17 minutes.
The project's client and contractor have not yet been disclosed. It is also unclear whether a tender was held or what the toll will be.
Dilshod Niyazmetov, Head of the Department of the Khorezm Province Roads Committee, reported that the project is being advanced in accordance with international standards.
According to him, the existing road is creating "significant inconveniences" for the tourism industry and local residents.
The project is divided into five lots. It includes erecting of 17 bridges, 8 overpasses, 1 tunnel, and 5 special crossings. The project is estimated at $120 million.
Taking into account the province's specific features—high groundwater levels and extreme temperature fluctuations—the project includes the installation of collectors and modern drainage systems. The road structure will be approximately 87 cm thick, with the upper layers made of modified bitumen materials resistant to climatic stress.
International consultants have been engaged for quality control, with over 1,000 specialists and over 1,000 pieces of equipment are involved in the construction.
Turkish engineer Bulent Bayir reported that the project included deploying of a digital traffic management systems based on artificial intelligence. These systems will be able to identify vehicle types—trucks, buses, minibuses, and cars.
Terminals and two service stations are planned at the beginning, middle, and end of the road.
Furthermore, separate crossings for animals are planned, and overpasses will be built at intersections with roads in populated areas. "This will ensure unimpeded traffic from Urgench to Khiva," he stated.
In addition to the road, a related infrastructure project is being implemented—the construction of an electrified railway line from Urgench International Airport to Khiva. The new line will be 10.85 kilometers long and will cost over $18 million. Completion of construction is scheduled for July.
Construction of the bridge over the Shavat Canal is also ongoing. Together, the road, railway line, and airport are expected to form a unified logistics system, providing faster and more convenient connections to Khiva.
The projects of Tashkent-Samarkand and Tashkent-Andijan toll roads was planned for 2026.
For the Tashkent-Samarkand road, a foreign partner is expected to be secured by March 15, and an agreement is expected to be signed by September. Construction is scheduled to begin on December 1, 2026.
For the Tashkent-Andijan route, the phase II of the tender for the toll road will be launched on July 1. In addition, road reconstruction will begin on the Karshi-Shakhrisabz-Kitab and Pungan-Namangan routes, along with an additional 1,200 km of highway.
